Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-03-10
.ARounn rnn woR1p.


tourney around the world on bicycle,
Il Youna's Hotel, Boston, Friday night
week, Thomas Wentworth Higgiilson,
Prof. Alonzo williams OF Brown Univer-
aity and Colonel Albert A. Pope being
among the prominent men present. After
q poem was read by the presiding officer
ard several speeches, three cheers for
Thomas Stevens were called for and given
with viii and tiger, followed with
whats the matter with Stevensf" "He's
oil riaht.n Applause continued for sew
eral minutes as MIR. Stevens rose. He
said that 'sIt is hardly necessary for me |
10 say how deeply am touched and com |
plimented by this royal reception from |
the largest bicycle club Of the world |
You have surprised me. / knew of this
generous reception by the fine reception
given me before my trip. knew before
l came that arranP ments would be made
to receive me, and got all the pleasure
possible out of anticipation. / knew
when l was lying on my back in the
desert, trying to sleep, after having had
hut bit to eat, how much pleasure there
was in anticipation. Laughter. When
in Teheran first knew from a bicycle
paper Of the chop suppers instituted
in Boston, and how nice they must
be, and I thought perceived the
odor of the sizzling mutton chops and
wondered how many could get away
with. Laughter. I carried this flavor
with me all around the world. see that
lam expected to tell the story of the tour.
1t would be impossible to enter into de-
tails on an occasion of this kind. 1 will
not linger to tell of the tour across this
country. / shall always have warm
place in my heart for Boston and Massa-
chusetts wheelmen. Here the first bit of
literary ability in me was detected. From
this place, l got encouragement to go
across the world. Ierossed to Liverpool,
finding ENGLAND the paradise of wheel
men. 1t rhined almost every day while
aip England, but it was glorious trip
nevert ..sssss. crossed to France. and
fouxd the Normandy roads not inferior
TO the French roads, and perhaps better.
The French roads are for the most part
avenues. On each side are rows of pop
lar trees, making pretty effect. Eng
land Is the only country where the horses
are thoroughly used to bicycles. In
France they scare as easily as
in America. There is this difference be-
tween the French and American driver
the great American road hog does not
exist in France. In France the driver will
apologize for the stupidity of his horse. l
found out that one wheel is equal to a
whole battery of French artillery, for
threw whole battery in confusion.
crossed the Rhine at Strasburg, and found
the military overshadowing everything at
the frontier. Even the scarecrows in the
fieldp wear uniforms. The Germans
are more practical than the French. l
found many wheelmen in Vienna and
Buda Pesth. There are great many
restrictions upon wheelmen in Vienna.
This wheelmen have to wear large
numbers, so that the police can see them
far of. In Belgrade there is hourishing
little bicycle club of 20 members. The
roads were very good all through Servia.
They were not SO good in Roumania, and
grew worse as got to Turkey. started
August 10th, 1885, from Constantinople.
The first thing ran against was gang
of Greek brigands. The road for 60C
miles from Oonstantinople was very
mountainous, the worst of the journey.
In Turkey they are making good roads
under military surveillance and Englist
engineers. The people are compelled tc
work at this, and without pay. l rode in
Asiatic Turkey to Teheran, 1000 miles
in six weeks. The wheeling was good
A mistaken idea prevails about deserts
The wheeling is not as bad as is sup
posed. The desert may be of hard gravel
and the passage of camel caravans leave
good surface for wheeling. l made th
last 200 miles in the desert in three day
actual riding time.
waited in Teheran five months. Marc
10th, 1886, struck out again. With pc
mission Of the Russian minister, i too
the road through Turkestan. After VIZ
out 800 miles was overtaken with a
order not to go through Russian territory
then went on through Persian territor
800 miles more eastward to Meshed. TIL
British government forbade my enterin
Afghanistan, probably TO keep me out {
trouble. The Russians blocked me o
one side, the English and Afghans on th
other. / struck off here due south, 80
miles, through Persia. By the aid of
Persian chief favorable to the English,
pushed on to AfghanistRn. He said this
I would be killed, and that the territol
had never been crossed by white MAJ
] was escorted by three horsenen to
ehanistan and was the only Wits Rls
who had been seen there since 1872.
WIS tol that it would be very dGngerol
20 go through tho couutIy. won't bat
to Herat, where was prisoner for nil
days, and was detained in all 10 days.
was sent back to Meshed, whence hi
started a month previous.
The only way, then, was to go to d
Caspian sea by bicycle. August I'd
started. l was agreeably surprised
find the best roads in India. There is
stretch there of 1,600 miles superior
af sAa rs.,I f., no. A.,
level for 1000 miles. 1t is made OF SIT
peculiar to the country. Reaching G,
cutta, found it almost impossible to Q
to Burmah. The passage was block
by dense Jungle, without roads, al
wholly impossible.
l took a steamer to Canton in face
opposition, and started to go throus
China. As far as the cycle is concerne
i would have Jared better had / left
behind. There are no roads in Chin
ALI the travel is By rivers, on which d
cities are situated China has the nc
wonderful system Of river navigation
the world. I struggled for four days, al
finally came to mountainous countr
where there were no paths. Here
took a boat for four days, ri
footed it over the mountains |
hind the coolies who carried the whe
There was good deal of good wheeli
here. heard before | left Canton ii
a traveller who tried TO get through I
country was wrapped up in raw colt
soaked with oil, and only rescued fro
being burned in the nick of time
must have gone 500 miles up the va
Isl Kiang into the interior when &
into one Of those little walled up cit
with which the country abounds. / b
passed through seven Of them, and /
farther into the country ! penetrated
more hostile the people became. III
looked upon me as g. foreign devil,
until l struck the place | first spoke
no effort was made to interfere with n
| had body guard of two soldiers, a
after We passed through the gates to
TO the government place, the people beG
to collect on the streets and block
passage. They were very dem
stratiye, and threw stones at
but they kept ut respectful distal
until we reached the gate at the COVE
ment-house, when they closed in on
and my guard. A hand hand strug
ensued, which lasted only few minui
but during that time l wass trnck at Il
hundred times with stones Finally
officials ran out 70 our assistance,
with their sid got into the goyernmt
house and was comparatively safe n
the mob's anger That night I was
moved surreptitiously from the plac,
the river, placed III a boat and taker
the next town, where ] was deliye
over to another guard In this VI
was kept going until ! had retur
to Canton, where / placed myself IN
the protection of tho English consul.